Boat anchor



J. E. BOTINE BOAT ANCHOR June 23, 1964 Filed Nov. 7, 1962 2 4 a J 4 u 2 2 6 4 4 3 3 4 3m 3 n 3 O 43 44 INVENTOR 05/? 15'. B 0 21. 0 6

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,138,134 BOAT ANCHQR John E. Botine, Pocahontas, lovva Filed Nov. 7, 1962, Ser. No. 236,106

' 1 Claim. (ill. 114208) This invention relates to quick-release anchors for boats and, more particularly, to anchors of which normallyextended flukes can be pivoted inwardly so as to free the anchor from rocks, weeds, logs, or other obstructions in which the anchor may become fouled. The invention constitutes an improvement over the prior art exemplified by patents to Siebert 1,782,449; Buch et al. 2,012,751; Douglas 2,540,867; Andrews 2,674,970; Evans 2,687,107; Hrivnyak 2,851,983; Bailey 2,874,668; Long 2,910,955; and Chard 2,990,800.

In the handling and operation of anchors on the subject type, the parts are subjected to severe abuse. For example, the anchor may be thrown onto a rocky beach, or it may be drug along a rocky bottom until it catches hold. One of the objects of the invention is to provide a quickrelease anchor in which all critical parts of the operating mechanism, particularly the fluke pivots and the inner ends of the flukes are enclosed within the confines of the open end of a hollow cylindrical casing so as to protect them at all times from impact of the anchor against other objects.

Another object of the invention is to provide an anchor of the subject type in which the moving parts, particularly the inner ends of the flukes and the pivots therefor, are so enclosed and protected within the open end of a hollow cylindrical body that they will not become clogged or jambed by grass, gravel or mud. By the same token, it is proposed now to provide an anchor which, when the normally extended flukes are released so that they may retract inwardly, presents to potential obstructions only a smooth cylindrical body having a closed leading end, with the flukes dangling harmlessly from the trailing end.

A still further object is to provide, in quick-release anchor in which the flukes constitute bell-crank levers retained in extended position by a retractable springbiased plunger, a novel stop enlargement or flange on the plunger for holding the latter positively in fully extended position. It is also intended to provide a quick release anchor formed of castings and but a few parts easy to assemble and disassemble.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following specification and drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-section along the line 11 of FIG. 2, showing the anchor with flukes extended;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the anchor as shown in FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the fiukes retracted.

Referring now to the drawing, in which like reference numerals denote similar elements, anchor 2 consists of a hollow cylindrical casing 4 having a dome shaped leading end 6 with an integral bail 8 adapted to be secured to an anchor line. The trailing end 10 of the casing is open, and is formed with inwardly projecting pairs of pivot ears 12, 14 spaced at intervals around the inner side thereof. Flukes 16 are each formed as bell-crank levers, consisting of a long arm 18 and a short arm 20 pivoted at their junctures between ears 12, 14 by pivot pins 22. The trailing edge of casing 4 is formed with slots 23 for accommodating the inner ends of long arms 18 when flukes 16 are extended as in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

Longitudinally moving within casing 4 is a plunger 24 having a cylindrical side wall 26 which engages short lever arms 20 to hold fiukes 16 in outwardly extended position. Plunger 24 also has a stop flange 28 around its inner end, the inner end of the plunger also being secured, as by threads 30, on the inner end of a plunger rod 32 which has an eye 33 on its outer end for securement to a trip line. Plunger rod 32 is endwise slidably engaged through suitable apertures 34, 36 and 37 in webs 38 and 40, and through the dome shaped leading end 6 of casing 4. A compression spring 42 engaged under compression between web 40 and a stop collar 44 biases plunger 24 towards its FIG. 1 position. A spacer sleeve 46 surrounding the inner end of plunger rod 32 is engaged between the inner end of plunger 24 and stop collar 44. The parts can be easily assembled by first inserting plunger rod 32 through apertures 37, 36 and 34, then installing compression spring 42, stop collar 44, spacer sleeve 46 through aperture 34, and then screwing plunger 24 onto the inner end of plunger rod 32, after which flukes 16 are mounted by pivot pins 22.

In operation, plunger 24 is normally extended, as in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, so that flukes 16 are held outwardly by the engagement of the cylindrical side wall 26 of the plunger against short arms 20. However, when it is desired to release the anchor from an obstacle on which it may be snagged or otherwise fouled, the trip line secured to eye 33 is pulled, thereby retracting plunger rod 32 and plunger 24 against the bias of spring 42 to the FIG. 3 position, whereupon fiukes 16 are free to pivot inwardly so that they dangle harmlessly behind casing 4.

The invention is not limited to the details described herein, but is intended to cover all modifications, substitutions and equivalents within the scope of the following claim:

I claim:

In a quick-release anchor, a hollow cylindrical casing having a substantially closed leading end and an open trailing end, a plurality of pivot support means integral with and extending inwardly of the casing adjacent the open trailing end thereof, a plurality of flukes pivotal between extended and retracted positions, each fluke comprising a bell-crank lever having a long arm and a short arm, pivots connecting said arms at the junctures thereof respectively to said pivot support means, said long arms extending radially outwardly of the casing and said short arms extending rearwardly of the casing in the extended position of the flukes, said short arms extending radially inwardly of the casing and said long arms extending rearwardly of the casing in the retracted position of the fiukes, plunger means longitudinally slidable within the trailing end of said casing between extended and retracted positions, said plunger means engaging said short arms in the extended position of the plunger for blocking said short arms against inward pivotal movements, and spring means engaging between said casing and said plunger means for biasing the latter towards the extended position thereof, said pivot support means comprising ears having free inner ends disposed around a circle of less diameter than the casing, said plunger means including a plunger member having a cylindrical side wall and a flange enlargement around the end thereof disposed towards the leading end of the casing, said cylindrical side wall being of less diameter than the ear-end circle, said enlargement being of greater diameter than said ear-end circle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,674,970 Andrews Apr. 13, 1954 2,874,668 Bailey Feb. 24, 1959 2,990,800 Chard July 4, 1961 

